Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Home remedies
• Part 2 of 3: Alternative medicines
• Part 3 of 3: Professional cosmetic treatments
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Stretch marks are not dangerous to health, but some women think they look ugly. There are a few scientifically proven methods and home remedies you can use to treat stretch marks - so you can get rid of them quickly. Read on to learn what measures you can take.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Home remedies

1. Use retinoids. Creams containing retinoids are available at drug stores and are available by prescription. Prescription products are stronger and more effective, but for light stretch marks, a drug that you buy at the drug store usually works.
   • Retinoid creams stimulate the skin cells to regenerate faster. As a result, the skin with stretch marks will disappear faster and be replaced by new, undamaged skin.
   • If you use retinoids on a daily basis, you can start seeing results within two weeks.
2. Invest in a product with glycolic acid. There are tonics, cleansers, and moisturizers available with glycolic acid, but if you want a stronger dose, you will need to get it prescribed by your doctor or dermatologist.
   • Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid. If you don't see glycolic acid on the ingredients list, look for hydroxy acid.
   • If you want to undergo glycolic acid treatment at a clinic, it can cost € 100 at a time. Usually you need three to four treatments before you really see results.
   • Note that some products contain both glycolic acid and retinoids. These products can speed up the process even more.
3. Use vitamin C. Spread a moisturizer with vitamin C on the stretch marks. Do this three times a day.
   • Moisturizers with a high dose of vitamin C can make stretch marks disappear by producing more collagen.
   • Vitamin C is especially suitable if you have not had the stretch marks for very long.
   • If you cannot or do not want to spread vitamin C, you can also take it as a dietary supplement. Take 500 mg of vitamin C three times a day for visible results.
4. Exfoliate your skin. Treat the stretch marks with an exfoliating cream or loofah while in the shower.
   • When you exfoliate, you remove the dead skin cells. As a result, new skin appears underneath. The skin with the stretch marks is removed and you get a smooth, new skin in return.
   • Do not use exfoliating cream more than once a day or you will damage your skin. The same is true of using a loofah.
5. Hydrate regularly. Moisturizing cream or lotion ensures that enough moisture enters your skin, so that you get rid of stretch marks faster.
   • When the skin is well hydrated, it becomes more flexible and can stretch better. As a result, you get stretch marks less quickly and existing stretch marks become deeper less quickly.
   • Use a greasy moisturizer for best results, for example with cocoa butter or shea butter. These natural ingredients are very effective as a moisturizer.
   • Apply at least three to four times a day for best results.

Part 2 of 3: Alternative medicines

1. Consider using a derma roller. A derma roller is a tool to damage the top layers of the skin, causing new skin to grow underneath. Roll the derma roller over your stretch marks several times. Repeat this every week.
   • The stretch marks should be gone in a few weeks.
   • Apply an analgesic cream to the skin before using the derma roller. Otherwise it can hurt very much.
   • The tool has a handle and a rolling cylinder with small sharp pins on it. When you roll it over your skin, those pins damage the top layer of skin, causing your body to produce new skin that will replace the stretch marks.
2. Try wheat germ oil. Although it has not been scientifically proven, there is some evidence that it can help improve stretch marks.
   • Put a few drops of wheat germ oil on a cotton ball and spread it on the stretch marks. Let it dry.
   • Repeat this two to three times a day to get rid of stretch marks quickly.
3. Apply straw flower oil. Gently massage this essential oil into the skin several times a day. After a few weeks, the stretch marks should fade.
   • Strawflower oil repairs cracks in the top layer of skin.
   • For an even better result, mix the oil with vitamin E oil.
4. Use aloe vera gel. Aloe vera is used as a remedy for burns, but also for stretch marks. It contains ingredients that moisturize, soften and repair the skin.
   • Mix 60 ml of aloe vera gel with the oil from 10 vitamin E capsules and 5 vitamin A capsules.
   • Apply this mixture on your stretch marks and rub it in until it is completely absorbed.
5. Try lemon juice. Lemon juice helps by removing dead skin cells and stimulating the production of new skin cells. The acid can remove the dead skin cells, but the lemon contains enough moisture to moisturize the skin as well. This is not suitable if you have sensitive skin.
   • Cut a lemon in half and rub the cut surface over the stretch marks. Gently squeeze the lemon to release some more juice and rub it in with circular motions.
   • Leave the lemon juice on for 10 minutes and then rinse with warm water.
6. Use potato juice. Raw potato juice is said to contain many vitamins and minerals that can speed up skin regeneration.
   • Cut a medium potato into thick slices.
   • Rub one of the slices over your stretch marks for several minutes. Make sure the juice is well spread over the skin.
   • Let the juice dry.
   • Rinse the skin with lukewarm water.
7. Apply extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil contains nutrients and antioxidants, and when you warm it up a bit, it stimulates the skin's blood flow.
   • Heat some olive oil in a pan or in the microwave until it is slightly warmer than room temperature. Make sure it doesn't smoke or get too hot.
   • Massage the oil into the stretch marks, leave it on for 30 minutes, then rinse with warm water and soap.
8. Try proteins. The amino acids in proteins can be used to treat stretch marks. If you do it right, you will see results within two weeks.
   • Beat two egg whites with a whisk until you see soft peaks.
   • Apply the egg white to the stretch marks in a thick layer with a make-up brush or sponge. Let it dry completely.
   • Rinse it off with cold water.
   • Then apply a little olive oil to moisturize the skin.
9. Combine multiple treatments to make a cream. For a powerful remedy for stretch marks, you can mix rose hip oil with shea butter, wheat germ oil, straw flower oil and vitamin E oil. The combination allows you to speed up recovery.
   • Melt 30 ml shea butter in a double boiler.
   • Add 30 ml rose hip oil and 15 ml wheat germ oil. Remove it from the heat and let it cool.
   • Add 5 drops of straw flower oil and 1 capsule of vitamin E.
   • Store the cream in an airtight container. Apply it on the stretch marks once a day.

Part 3 of 3: Professional cosmetic treatments

1. Ask your doctor about laser treatments. Laser treatments can help the body produce greater amounts of collagen. This new collagen replaces the collagen affected by the stretch marks. Note that there are a variety of laser treatments available, so talk to a dermatologist about the best option for you.
   • Laser vascular therapy focuses on inflamed blood vessels. You usually need three to six treatments to get rid of stretch marks. These treatments work best on newly formed red and purple stretch marks.
   • Fractionated laser treatment focuses on the cracks in the skin and makes the skin smooth again. You often need at least three treatments. This works well with stretch marks that have been there for a long time.
2. Learn about microdermabrasion. This cosmetic treatment is a more extreme way to remove dead skin cells than exfoliating. You will need multiple treatments, but you should get rid of your stretch marks in a few weeks.
   • A dermatologist will sandblast your skin with a small device, removing the top layers of skin.
   • After each treatment, the skin will be raw and irritated for a few days, but the stretch marks will fade.
   • Once the top, damaged skin layers are removed, new, healthy skin will form underneath.

Tips

• Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated. Try to drink about 8 250 ml glasses per day. Hydrated skin is more elastic so that you get stretch marks less quickly.
• Treat stretch marks as soon as possible. If you want to get rid of stretch marks quickly, start treating early. If you have had stretch marks for a few months, it is more difficult to get rid of them.
• Consider lifestyle changes to help prevent new stretch marks from forming. Eat a varied diet with lots of proteins, vitamins and zinc, then your body produces more collagen so that stretch marks become less visible.

Warnings

• Be careful about treating stretch marks if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Some methods, such as with retinoids, are not safe during pregnancy and should not be used until you have finished breastfeeding.

Necessities

• Retinoids
• Glycolic Acid
• Vitamin C
• Moisturizers
• Exfoliating cream
• Dermaroller
• Analgesic cream
• Wheat germ oil
• Strawflower oil
• Vitamin E.
• Aloe vera gel
• Vitamin A capsules
• Lemons
• Potatoes
• Knife
• Olive oil
• Protein
• Rosehip Oil
• Shea butter
• Airtight jar